Developmental Changes in Fetal Adrenal Hypertrophy following Maternal Bilateral and Fetal Unilateral Adrenalectomy at Different Stages of Gestation in the Rat

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Abstract
Maternal adrenalectomy on days 14 and 15 of gestation did not alter the fetal adrenal weight 2 days later. The same operation on day 16 caused a significant increase in the adrenal weight with a hypertrophy of the cortical cells. Nevertheless, the operation on days 17 and 18 induced no change in the fetal adrenals. Subsequently on days 19 and 20, the operation resulted in a significant hypertrophy of the fetal adrenals. Fetal unilateral adrenalectomy on day 18 caused, 2 days later, significant hypertrophy of the contralateral adrenal, in contrast with no significant change after maternal adrenalectomy. This is perhaps due to the difference in the amount of fetal plasma corticoids, as evidenced by the previous reports of high concentrations of fetal plasma corticosterone on days 19 and 20. The overall results suggest that the fetal pituitary-adrenal feedback mechanism begins to appear between days 16 and 18 of gestation.